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Polyethylene and Polyvinyl Chloride Nanoplastics Accelerate Atherosclerosis Through Distinct Changes in Smooth Muscle Cell Phenotype

2026-02-14 cardiovascular medicine Title + abstract only
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Micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) are increasingly detected in human tissues, yet their causal contribution to cardiovascular disease remains poorly understood. Here we show that oral exposure to polyethylene (PE) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) -- the most abundant polymers found in human atheromas -- accelerates atherosclerosis in ApoE-/-mice through distinct, polymer-specific molecular mechanisms. While both polymers increased plaque burden and reduced contractile smooth muscle cell (SMC) markers, ...

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